Ender 3 Direct Drive Upgrade Kit – New v1.3

$37.95

Compatible with All Ender 3 and Ender 3 Pro Printers
Lighter Than a Titan Aero or Bondtech
No Firmware Modification Required
Better Filament Routing

Out of stock

Description

This is a new and improved version of our previous Ender 3 Direct Drive Kit

NOTE: This kit is NOT compatible with the Ender 3 V2. For that printer you can purchase a kit here.

Ender 3 Direct Drive v 1.3

This is THE MOST CAPABLE direct drive conversion for your 3D printer.

Creality Ender 3 Direct Drive upgrade kit:

Instantly improve print quality, simplify retractions and filament changes, and easily print any material with the MDD v1.3. It’s the easiest, most feature-rich direct drive platform available for your Creality 3D printer, with no firmware coding or permanent modifications required.

Lighter than a Titan Aero or Bondtech, the MDD takes just 20-30 minutes to install– with no firmware changes, no printable volume loss, and no cutting or splicing required.

The MDD (or ”Modular Direct Drive”) easily converts your stock Ender 3 or CR-10 into a true direct drive 3D printer. While the MDD is compatible with many different hot end and extruder combinations, it was specifically engineered to convert your stock components into a powerful direct drive system with no additional hardware or wiring needed, making it the simplest and most flexible direct drive system.

What’s new in V1.3?

We chose to listen closely to our valued customers and community, and in the process made some significant improvements for our new v1.3 MDD. It’s now more widely compatible, with more hot and and extruder combinations than ever.

Reduced center of mass and X-carriage weight.
Significantly improved part quality of injection molded spacers.
While still natively compatible with X-axis linear rail, optional aluminum belt adapters now available.*
Optional native compatibility with Slice Mosquito hot ends (no adapters required).
Many new adapters, fan ducts, ABL mounts and more are now available for v1.3!**

*Ender-3 belt adapter is printable. Ender-5 versions do not require a belt adapter for linear rail mounting, but do require an additional bracket due to the top-mounted orientation of the rail on these machines.

**Some v1.2 designs may not be compatible with the v1.3 mounting system, and may need to be re-printed. See our downloads section for updated, v1.3 files.

CR-10 Version

There is also a version of this that will work on the Creality CR-10 and Tevo Tornado available here.

Ender 5 Version

If you have an Ender 5, you can purchase a kit designed specifically for the Creality Ender 5 here.

HIGHLIGHTS

Increase print quality and fix retraction issues
Does not require dual lead screws
Print higher temperature and flexible materials
Reduce retractions and ooze control
Easier filament changes
No firmware or bootloader flashing
No cutting or splicing wires
Works with stock extruder and hot end
Compatible with many printable mods

DIRECT DRIVE VS. BOWDEN TUBE EXTRUDERS

Bowden style extrusion systems like those found on Creality printers rely on long PTFE tubes to feed filament to the hot end, and as such are more prone to extrusion issues. While Bowden setups generally allow for lighter print head weights, mounting the extruder separately from the hot end comes at the expense of less precise retraction control and filament changes.

By contrast, direct drive extruders eliminate most common extrusion problems by mounting the extruder and hot end very closely together, removing the need for the PTFE tubing in between and drastically shortening and simplifying the filament path. While this approach can significantly improve extrusion and retraction, and allow for easier printing of difficult materials like flexible filaments, it also increases the weight on the hot end carriage, necessitating reduced print speeds if made too heavy.

MDD – A BETTER DIRECT DRIVE OPTION

Weighing in at 479g when installed with a full-sized stepper, the MDD is light enough to print fast, while solving many of the extrusion problems inherent to Bowden extruder systems. And because it entirely replaces the hot end carriage, it provides a vastly more rigid mounting platform for the extruder and hot end compared with printed direct drive mounts, which are more prone to vibration and ringing when printing at higher speeds.

Want to install this on a larger format machine like the CR-10 and larger?

All you need is one or more motor extension cables.

HOT END / EXTRUDER FITMENT

Please note that this table and all associated links are under construction. If needed, please submit a ticket and request the files for the specific combination you require.

Update 9-5-2020 – To make downloading the correct files easier, now simply select your desired combination of hot end and extruder from the drop-down list:

//
Choose an MDD
Ender-3 Series
Ender-5 Series
CR-10 Series

Choose an Extruder
Creality Mk10 (Stock)
Bondtech BMG
Flat-top MK10
Creality Dual Gear
E3D Titan
E3D Hemera
EZR Struder

Choose a Hot End
Creality Mk8 (Stock)
E3D V6 / Lite6
Mosquito
J-Head
Micro Swiss
Nova

	Creality Mk8	E3D V6	Micro Swiss	J-Head	Mosquito
Bondtech BMG	Base weight: 239.1g, Temps: 250ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 268.1g, Temps: 300ºC, Speed: 130mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 238.2g, Temps: 260ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 242.1g, Temps: 285ºC, Speed: 130mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 249.1g, Temps: 500ºC, Speed: 160mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015
Creality Mk10 (stock)	Base weight: 213.6g, Temps: 250ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 242.6g, Temps: 300ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 212.7g, Temps: 260ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 216.6g, Temps: 285ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 223.6g, Temps: 500ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015
Creality Flat-top (silver)	Base weight: 210.8g, Temps: 250ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 239.8g, Temps: 300ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 209.9g, Temps: 260ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 213.8g, Temps: 285ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 220.8g, Temps: 500ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015
Creality Dual-gear (red)	Base weight: 228.8g, Temps: 250ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 257.8g, Temps: 300ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 227.9g, Temps: 260ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 231.8g, Temps: 285ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 238.8g, Temps: 500ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015
E3D Titan	Base weight: 224.3g, Temps: 250ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 253.3g, Temps: 300ºC, Speed: 130mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 223.4g, Temps: 260ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 227.3g, Temps: 285ºC, Speed: 130mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 234.3g, Temps: 500ºC, Speed: 130mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015
E3D Hemera	N/A	Base weight: 358g, Temps: 300ºC, Speed: 130mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	N/A	N/A	N/A
EZR Struder	Base weight: 262.6g, Temps: 250ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 291.6g, Temps: 300ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 261.7g, Temps: 260ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 4010 (stock)	Base weight: 265.6g, Temps: 285ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015	Base weight: 272.6g, Temps: 500ºC, Speed: 100mm/s², Part cooling fan: 5015

This table is for educational purposes only, and is a work in progress. Base weights are measured sans motor and cooling fans in some cases, as these may vary by application and manufacturer. Speed estimates represent real-world, draft- or better quality estimates derived from considerations like hot end volumetric flow, effector weight, and our combined in-house and community experience.

Technical Specs

CNC machined 6063 aluminum construction
Injection molded fittings – no 3D printed parts*
- Printed or customized parts may be required to mount up certain combinations of non-factory or 3D printed components.
Weighs under 500g fully installed (including fan shroud, wiring, hardware)
Wire harness extender included
High-temp PTFE tube rated for 260ºC+
Simple 20 minute installation (instructions provided)

FAQ

Q: Is it too heavy? Do I need a dual Z lead screw?

A: No, a dual lead screw setup is not needed for the MDD, even when using a full-sized Creality stepper motor. Just a properly aligned X gantry (see this guide for more information: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4bFYH0X3qjk)

Our tests have demonstrated that the increased effector mass on the X axis is not heavy enough to cause significant unwanted deflection or drop, even higher than average travel speeds. This is partly due to the rigid coupling and alignment of the stepper motor with the MDD’s solid carriage plate, which restricts unwanted movements and vibrations, and effectively translates those forces to the rollers, which are more than strong enough to bear the load without deforming.

Q: Which Creality Ender and CR models is it compatible with?

A: The MDD will fit all Ender 3 models, including the regular Ender 3, Ender 3X, and Ender 3 Pro.

For the Ender 5 version, click here.

For the CR-10 version, click here.

Q: What hot ends and extruders does the MDD work with?

A: Many, though we recommend using it with the stock Creality hot end and extruder combination. Other supported components include extruders like the Bondtech BMG, E3D Titan and EZR Struder, as well as hot ends like the E3D V6 and Micro-Swiss, with more compatibility coming soon.

Q: What slicer settings do I need to change?

A: Slicer settings can vary based on machine, filament, etc. However, you should expect to significantly reduce your slicer retraction settings (we recommend starting around 1.0mm at 30mm/s and tuning from there). You will also need to disable ooze control methods like coasting, wipe, etc.

Q: Where does this product ship from?

A: We manufacture and produce our kits in the USA. All MDD kits purchased from Fargo 3D Printing ship from Fargo, ND in the USA.

Q: Does this upgrade have a mounting point for an autoleveling system like the BL Touch?

A: YES.